Signal for time locks



F. E. CRAWFORD SIGNAL FOR TIME LOCKS Filed Feb. 26. 1923 EEZ M Patented Aug. 26, 1924.

. Arica FR/AINKLIN E. CRAWFORD, OF WINCHESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T BANKERS ELECTRIC PROTECTIVE ASSOCIATICN, CF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORA- TION 0F MASSACHUSETTS.

SIGNAL FCE TIME LCCKS.

Application led February 26, 1923. Serial No. 621,145.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, FRANKLIN E. CRAW- FORD, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Winchester, inthe county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful mprovernents in Signals, for Time Locks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention pertains to time clock mechanisms of the kind commonly installed lin safes and vaults to determine the time at which their doors may be opened, and relates more especially to an electrical indicator system adapted to permit a person outside the vault or safe, and at a distance therefrom if desired, to ascertain at any time as to whether the clock mechanism is running and if so, how long a period must elapse before it runs down and the doors may be opened.

s 1n order that such a system may furnish reliable indications, irrespective of slight fluctuations in the current or voltage in the electrical operating circuit, it is essential, if constant supervision is to be avoided, that the signal employed be responsive over a relatively wide range of current or voltage variation. It is also desirable that the system be applicable to a plurality of time clocks, and capable of furnishing definite information at all times as to the condition of any or all of the clocks employed, whether the clocks be located in the same or different vaults.

A vdesirable embodiment of the present j invention selected for purposes of illustration is shown in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a time clock of usual construction such as is used in safes and vaults for controlling the opening of the doors;

Fi 2 is a side elevation, partly in section showlng the time clock mechanism in association with Iother elements comprised in the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, certain parts being omitted; andy Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic representation of the electrical circuit forming a part of the present invention, showing the connections between the several elements employed.

' present invention.

A time clock of the kind usually employed 1n safes or vaults constitutes an essential feature of the present invention. The exact details of the clock arel immaterial, however, that herein illustrated comprising the rear plate l and the front plate .2 secured in spaced relation by means of posts 3 and supporting a clock train 1 of usual construction between them. This clock train is driven by means of a spring, not shown, contained in a housing 5 secured to the rear side of the plate 1. The Winding arbor 6 projects through the front plate and a pinion 7 is secured thereto. This pinion meshes with gear teeth upon the perlphery of a rotary setting dial 9 turning freely upon an arbor carried by the front plate. This dial is provided with graduations indicated at 10 and extending from zero to 72, which is the common mode of graduating such clocks, although the exact type of graduation is non-essential to the A ixed pointer 11 is providedjfor use in setting the dial and a projecting pin 9'l cooperates with some element of the lock mechanism, not shown, for actuating the lock mechanism when the clock runs down.

The winding arbor projects rearwardly beyond the spring housing 5 and a pinion 12 of the same diameter as the pinion 7 is secured to the projecting portion of the arbor. This pinion drives a gear 13 of the same size as the gear 9, mounted to turn freely on a stub shaft 14 supported in a bracket 15 secured to a fixed member 16 which may conveniently form a part of the housing of the clock mechanism.

Preferably the gear 13 is coaxial with thegear 9 in order that the device may be as x.

compact as possible although this exact arrangement is not essential. A plate 17 of insulating material is supported in spaced relation to the gear 13 and behind the latter by parts 18 projecting from a member 19 which may be a part of the clock housing or an independent element as desired. A plurality of metallic contacts C are secured to this plate. These contacts are spaced from one another and form a circular series concentric with the axis of the gear v13, and a leader 20 extends from each contact through the plate 17 and is connected to a corresponding conducting wire 21. The plate 17 is provided with a forwardly projecting stud shaft 22 (Fig.3) concentric with the series of contacts C and a lever 23 swings freely upon this stub shaft. The longer arm of this lev-er is furnished with a resilient wiper 26 constituting a circuit closer Which may be caused to engage with any of the contacts C by swinging the lever. A drive ing pin 27 projects from the rear surface of gear 13 and passes freely through an opening in the shorter arm of the lever 23, so that the lever is constrained to turn 1n synchronism with gear 13. The form of connection employed in driving the lever 23 from the gear 13 permits the removal of the plate 17 with its contacts and circuit closer as a unit Without disturbing the clock mechn anism, which is of great convenience in making repairs as Well as for substituting a plate having a different number of contacts if circumstances should so Warrant.

The number of contacts C is preferably equal t0 or an exact divisor of the graduations of the clock dial. As herein shown each contact corresponds to three of the clock graduations. A bank of electrically operated signal devices, preferably lamps, is indicated at L, lamps being preferred as giving reliable visual indications over a Wide range of current or voltage variation. One lamp is provided for each of the contacts C. When a single time clock is employed, each of its contacts C is connected directly to one terminal of each of the lamps L, While the other terminals ofthe lamps are connected in parallel to a conductor K leading to a source of electric energy such as a battery B Whose other pole is connected by means of a conductor M to the circuitclosing lever 23. The clock herein shown is intended to run for seventy-two or any lesser number of hours and in setting it to run for the full period the dial 9 is turned in a clockwise direction until the graduation marked 72 is brought opposite the pointer 11. This movement of the dial is transmited directly to the circuit closer 23 which progresses in a clockwise direction from the contact C0 to the contact marked C72, in Fig. 3.

The clock mechanism now starts to operate and the dial 9 moves slowly in a counterclockwise direction, the circuit closer moving in a similar manner. As the circuit closer passes over the contacts in its return movement the circuit is successively completed through the corresponding lamps. If, for example, at the end of twenty-four hours the circuit closer engages the contact C49 the lamp L48 Will be lighted, thus indicating to an observer that forty-eight hours must elapse before the clock Will run down and the doors Will be opened. In like manner,

when the circuit closer reaches the contact C24 the lamp L24 will be lighted, this process continuing until the circuit closer engages contact C and lamp Lo is lighted indicating that the clock has stopped. Thus at any time, by inspection of the bank of lamps L, it is possible to determine how soon the clock Will run down and by Watching the lamps for an extended period-an observer can inform himselfl as to whether the clock is op erating or has stopped prematurely.

A common practice in vault protection is to employ a 'plurality of time clocks sometimes as many as four so arrangedthat whichever one runs down first operates the unlocking mechanism of the door. If however one clock should stop before running down, the continued operation of another clock insures opening the door at the proper time. With such an arrangement it is highly important to be able to ascertain at any time the condition of each of the several clocks, not only to determine as to Whether one or more of them is running, but also to give seasonable notice ofthe premature running down, due to improper setting or other- Wise, of one of the clocks of the group and the consequent unlocking of the door. The above signal system is Well adapted for use With such a series of clocks, a single bank of signal lamps suliicing for the purpose.

For example, as diagrammatically shown in Fig. 4, corresponding contacts of three such clocks X, Y, Z, are connected up in parallel With the same lamps of the series L, and by observing the lighting of the lamps, it can be determined at any time Whether all of the clocks have run down, or as to the period which will clapse before all or any of them will come to rest.- In Fig. 4, the clock X is shown as having run down, its contact-making arm 23 being upon the zero contact C0; the clock Y has seventytwo hours to run as its arm 28 engages the contact C72, While the clock Z has fortyeight hours to run, the arm 23 engaging the contact C, and the lamps L0, L 43 and L72 Would be lighted. In this view the intermediate contacts and certain of the intermediate lamps have been omitted to avoid confusion of illustration.

While but three clocks have been shown in Fig. 4 it is manifest that a greater or less number might be employed if desired, and that suc-h clocks might be arranged Within the same vault or Within different vaults. Preferably in practice three of such clocks would be arranged in each vault of the series to which the system is applied, and the same set of lamps can be employed for showing the condition of the timing mechanism in all of the vaults. It may be immaterial as to which clock has run down when all are lill) llfl placed in the same vault and each is indeendently capable of setting the mechanism or unlocking. In that case, ifhone clock has run down it may be already in unlocking position and if it has stopped prematurely, the next clock to run down will presaid circuit closer having an element with which the driver engages.

2. In combination with a pluralityof time clccis for use in a vault or the like," a series of signai lamps corresponding to predeter-l mine time intervals respectively, and controll-ing devices for causing the several lamps to light in accordance with the period of time to elapse before either clock will run down.

3. In combination with a plurality of time clocks for vaults and the like, a single series of electric lamps corresponding respectively to successively increasing periods of time elapsed after starting the clocks, and a circuit closng device moving in -time with each clock and successively causin lamps of said series -to be lighted in accor ance with the progress of each clock.

4. In combination with a'plurality of time clocks, a series of electrically actuated signals, a series of contacts associated with each clock, correspondin contacts of each series being in circuit nwith one of the signals, and

al circuit closer driven by each clock for suc-- cessively completin the circuits through the several contacts o the respective series of contacts.

5. In combination with a time clock, a disc actuated by the clock mechanism and moving in time therewith, a pin projecting from the disc, a movable circuit closer having an opening through which the pin projects, and a series of spaced contacts, each in circuit with a lamp, with which the circuit closer successively engages as the disc turns.

6. In combination with a time clock for vaults and the like, having a rotary set-ting dial, a disc coaxial with the dial and moving synchronously therewith, a driving pin projecting from the face of the disc, a sup- -port having a series of contacts arranged in 1a circular arc coaxial with the disc, a rotary arm carried by the support provided with a. circuit closing wiper movable from one contact to another, the arm having an opening for the reception of the driving. pin, and a lamp in circuit with each of said contacts.

7. In combination with a plurality of time clocks for use in vaults and the like, a series of electrically actuated signal devices, a series of electrical contacts associated with each clock, the contacts of each series corresponding in number to the entire number of signal devices, and a circuit closer movino in synchronism with 'the mechanism of each clock for successively! completing circuits through its particular series of contacts and the corresponding signal devices at predetermined intervals of time.

Signed by me at Boston, Massachusetts, this 16th day of February, 1923.

FRANKLIN E. CRAWFORD. 

